The present invention relates generally to robots. More particularly, the present invention relates to a machine having substantially autonomous mobility features, and optional social interactivity features, to allow for human/machine interactions and motion within numerous areas with little or no human supervision.
As a cultural concept, the robot has existed for many years. The real-world corollary to that cultural construct, the mobile robot, has existed for only the last few decades. As a viable technology capable of performing useful services, it has really only come into existence within the last five years.
The systems that have been deployed to date are few and limited. Mobile robots are highly complex systems built upon a technology base that is still in its infancy. The result is that prior attempts to make an autonomous mobile robot have yielded results that are highly prone to error and/or require a high degree of human supervision and support.
The few mobile robot systems that have been successfully deployed have integrated robust performance that is highly fault tolerant into the robotic system by trading off complexity and richness of performance and behavior for reliability and durability. Such systems require the use of guide paths, imprinted maps, or other devices to allow the robot only limited motion within a predetermined area. Accordingly, such prior robotic systems are not desirable because their mobility features are not easily transportable to new areas without first programming the robot or equipping the area with guide features.
In addition, the prior art attempts to deploy an autonomous mobile robot have focused on minimizing complexity of navigation methods, task performance requirements, and human/robot interactivity in order to increase the robustness and fault tolerance of the deployed system. Thus, the functionality of such robots has been limited. Human supervision and support requirements have also been high.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a robot that is able to navigate in an environment that is not constrained by physical barriers and/or guide paths. As well, the ability to deliver a rich and dynamic mix of informational content and/or to initiate and carry out complex human interactions is also desirable.
It is therefore a feature and advantage of the present invention to provide an improved mobile robot or other machine, preferably having social interactivity capabilities.
The above and other features and advantages are achieved through the use of a novel mobile robot as herein disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an automated, mobile mechanical apparatus includes a processing device, a memory that is in communication with the processing device, a mobility structure that moves the apparatus and is controlled by the processing device, and at least one sensor for measuring an amount of movement. The memory contains computer program instructions that are capable of instructing the processor to direct the apparatus to move within a predetermined safe area having a boundary and a reference point.
Optionally and preferably, the computer program instructions are also capable of instructing the processor to, upon receipt of a command, adjust the boundary or the reference point. The computer program instructions may also be capable of instructing the processor to direct the apparatus to (i) stop or turn if the apparatus moves to a point that is substantially on the boundary, or (ii) direct the apparatus to refuse to follow a command to move to a point outside of the boundary.
The apparatus may also optionally include at least one sensor capable of detecting the presence of an object in the predetermined safe area. In this embodiment, the computer program instructions are further capable of instructing the processor to, when one of the sensors identifies an object in the predetermined safe area, direct the mobility structure to move in a direction that is toward the object. The sensor may be a sonar transceiver, a temperature-sensitive sensor, a vision sensor, an infrared sensor, or some other type of sensor.
As additional options, the apparatus may also include or use a physical guide path positioned to direct movement of the mobility structure. The apparatus may also include an input device and a database of dynamic content. When a database of dynamic content is available, the computer program instructions may be capable of instructing the processor to accept an input corresponding to a human via the input device, select a dynamic content selection from the database wherein the dynamic content is responsive to the input, present the human with a response corresponding to the dynamic content selection. The response may comprise movement, an audio response, a light display, a text message, a visual image, remote operation of an external device, or some other type of response.
Optionally, the apparatus may also include a receiver that is capable of receiving a content update. When received, the content update is stored in the database of dynamic content. Also optionally, the computer program instructions may be capable of instructing the processor to modify the database of dynamic content in response to the input. The input device may be a touch-sensitive screen, a sensor, or some other input device.
Optionally, the apparatus may also include a user recognition database, and the computer program instructions preferably are further capable of instructing the processor to accept input from a human via the input device, store data corresponding to a particular human in the user recognition database after the first time that the particular human uses the input device, and recognize the particular human during a subsequent time that the particular human uses the input device by receiving, during the subsequent time, an attribute of the particular human and comparing the attribute to information stored in the user recognition database. Preferably, the also includes a communications port, and the computer program instructions are further capable of transmitting information that is stored in the user recognition database, via the communications port through a wireless communications medium, such that the information may be received by a second apparatus.
In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a method of enabling a mobile robot to move without the need for substantial human intervention includes the steps of: (i) defining a safe area having a boundary and a reference point, wherein the safe area is substantially free from obstacles that would restrict movement within the safe area; and (ii) directing a mobile robot having a movement means, a processor that directs the movement means, and a memory to begin movement within the safe area, wherein the memory includes computer program instructions that instruct the processor to prevent the movement means from moving the robot outside of the safe area.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a mobile robot includes a movement apparatus capable of moving the robot, a means for recognizing a location of the robot, a means for automatically operating the movement apparatus, and a means for determining whether an operation of the movement apparatus will result in movement of the robot outside of a predetermined boundary corresponding to a reference point, and restricting such movement outside of the predetermined boundary.
There have thus been outlined the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and which will form at least part of the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract included below, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting in any way.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept and objectives, upon which this disclosure is based, may be readily utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.